iPads and laptops are popular computing devices that bring your world to your fingertips, whether traveling or relaxing on your couch. This guide will comprehensively evaluate the two devices based on their features, performance, ease of use, prices, battery life, and pros and cons to help you make an informed decision. Various companies such as Lenovo, Dell, HP, Samsung, Acer, Apple, and Asus Display Smaller displays Larger display than iPads Portability Highly portable Some models are on the bulky side, limiting easy portability Compatibility Only compatible with Apple applications Works with most applications Upgradability Cannot be upgraded Can be upgraded to certain levels Price Starts at $300 Starts at $400 Operating System iPadOS Different OS depending on the manufacturer Battery Cannot be replaced Has replaceable batteries Touch ID for secure authentication and Apple Pay Buy Now on Amazon We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. iPads offer better battery life than laptops because they do not carry out CPU-intensive tasks requiring more power. This means you can enjoy playing video games and streaming your favorite movies without going low on battery.
The latest iPad models offer over 10 hours of battery life, making them suitable for travel and outdoor use. This can make it a challenge to use on the go because you must stay close to a power source to recharge every few hours.
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Laptops deliver unrivaled performance because of their robust processor and ample internal storage. The more premium models have a dedicated GPU for gaming, video editing, sharing files, and running other highly demanding applications at faster speeds. The iPad’s performance is limited because it lacks the CPU and large storage capacities.
It is, therefore, best suited for more straightforward tasks like listening to music, browsing the internet, social media, and note-taking. Due to the intensity of its functions, laptops tend to overheat and therefore are fitted with a cooling system that occupies much space. The good thing with these devices is that you can use them anywhere in social gatherings, dining tables, or waiting bays without feeling inconvenienced.
Laptops come with keyboards attached out of the box, so you will not have separate items or extensions unless you want to use a wireless mouse. Charges wirelessly Buy Now on Amazon We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
It’s not unusual to see kids use iPads to watch and download content (and it’s safe to assume they aren’t techies). Laptops offer improved performance and graphics when compared to an iPad due to its larger size and more advanced processor.
Pros Cons Compact, lightweight, and highly portable, making them ideal for travel Not ideal for multitasking because only one app is visible at a time Lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge Has limited internal storage capacity Has SIM support meaning they can be used as communication gadgets for short texts, social media, and calls Their processors cannot perform complex tasks such as video editing and graphics iPads are relatively cheaper than most laptops Has a smaller display compared to laptops Has an Apple Pencil for scribbling notes and drawing Only suitable for simple gaming Pros Cons Allows users to open multiple apps giving a full desktop experience They are heavier and bigger than iPads, so they may not be ideal for people on-the-go Ideal for professionals and users working on high-demand applications Touch screen features are limited to some laptops High computing power compared to iPads They have a shorter battery life compared to iPads The larger display makes them comfortable for daily use Has a built-in keyboard for better functioning High storage capacity allows for storing and transferring large files, installing apps, games, and much more without affecting performance Some laptops have dedicated graphic cards for heavy-duty gaming Have multiple HDMI and USB ports for connecting to external hard drives, printers, and other devices
Touch ID for secure authentication and Apple Pay Buy Now on Amazon We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. On the other hand, if you need to perform simple tasks like browsing, chatting on social media, and streaming music and videos, an iPad will serve you better.
With iPadOS 17, the iPad becomes a true laptop replacement
Even with an excellent keyboard (and sometimes a mouse), tasks that revolve around typing or multi-tasking have generally gone to my MacBook Air. This is usually more an issue about the limitations of iPadOS or available apps than about processing power (the iPad Pro and Air now sport the same M1 and M2 processors as today’s Macs) or form factor. As did a good many Apple customers, I downloaded and installed the developer betas of both iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma when they became available in June. I started using iPadOS 17 first, mostly because it downloaded faster (and I wanted to install Sonoma onto a clean drive partition).
Apple launched the multitasking feature on both iPadOS and macOS last year but it was pretty much a mess — particularly on the iPad. Stage Manager now delivers much more freedom and flexibility when working with multiple apps in a single workspace.
These limitations are fairly minor annoyances, since you’re generally able to resize and reposition windows as you want; they simply snap to a grid close to where you put them. This makes the entire multitasking experience something that’s truly useful compared to the somewhat gimmicky split screen and slide over options of the past.
It feels and behaves like a full-blown desktop, and working with multiple apps at once is finally a real capability for the iPad. Since iPads have smaller screens than most Macs or PCs, the usability of multiple apps decreases as you open more of them (for me, anything beyond four becomes too cluttered to use effectively, though your preferences may vary). that require you to scroll or don’t position controls such as buttons or text boxes properly in windows; Amazon is an example of the former and Facebook can be one of the latter. While iPadOS 17 doesn’t change the dot-style cursor or make it behave more like the pointer on a Mac or PC, I (and several people I’ve spoken with) noticed that mouse tracking feels more accurate to the movement of your hand.
Universal Control is a Continuity feature designed to make shifting between a Mac and an iPad frictionless by letting the same keyboard and mouse work with multiple devices. The shifting of mouse performance when switching is a point of friction in that system, making things not quite so universal.
Notes gains useful features across all Apple platforms this year, but they feel most significant on the iPad. The effect is similar to laying out a personal website of data that links together ideas, information, media, checklists, contacts and anything else.
This may not seem like a major change, but if you use Notes extensively and add features like checklists, bulleted lists, formatting and media, you can now leverage all of that when you need to produce a document. You don’t need an external app to view, edit, highlight, cross off, or markup PDFs. AirDrop is having a big year across Apple devices as well; it’s the basis for NameDrop and new gestures for sharing content. It gets speed improvements, a bit more streamlined interface and the ability to finish transfers using the internet (so two users or devices don’t need to be in close proximity to one another).
While there isn’t a lot new for keyboards (beyond Shift-click/tap with Stage Manager), they’re a crucial part of making the iPad a true laptop replacement.
There are a variety of options from Apple and third-party vendors, since any bluetooth or USB keyboard (with the appropriate dongle) will work with any iPad. Today’s iPads are capable of doing pro-level work that until recently required a Mac or PC (sometimes a rather powerful one). Apple has always built a wall between a user’s personal apps, data, and accounts and work apps, data and accounts whenever a device is managed by the user’s employer, provided the employer uses some form of mobile management.
With iOS and iPadOS 17 (along with Sonoma), iCloud sync is now supported across any devices or Macs connected to their work Apple ID. It’s also important to note Apple will now support all Continuity features on all devices and Macs affiliated with a work Apple ID, including Handoff, Universal Control, and Continuity Camera (which allows a Mac to use another device’s camera for video chats).
The iPad Pro and Air models that share the same processors with Apple Silicon Macs are spectacular examples of this potential.
Apple seems to have finally gotten the message a lot of its customers have long known: the iPad is a serious tool that needed serious software to unlock its potential.
Is the iPad ready to replace your laptop or desktop?
Many people now simply use a laptop as their main computing device, along with an external display for when they’re working at home or in the office. The basic M1 processor might not be powerful enough for professional users running demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. The Magic Keyboard is the better option for getting serious work done: it’s very solidly built, and will provide good protection when travelling. This allows me to connect the rugged OWC Envoy solid-state drive that normally handles Time Machine backups on my Mac, providing quick file transfers when I’m away from the office and there’s no free Wi-Fi around. If you need more than a single USB-C port, then there are many portable USB hubs that provide additional connectivity options, such as USB-A for my trusty old 64GB Kingston HyperX thumb drive. However, Kensington’s UH1400P is a really useful portable hub that can handle one 4K display at 60Hz, along with a number of USB ports, memory card slots, and even Gigabit Ethernet for a wired office network.
And, for professional users, there are many desktop docks and hubs that require a mains power supply in order to provide additional charging and connectivity features. The iPad Pro can certainly pass muster as a lightweight laptop, but using it as a main desktop computer proves a little more troublesome.
But, as keen Apple watchers will have noticed, the recent WWDC unveiling of iPadOS 16 — due to be available as a public beta during the summer, with a final release towards the end of this year — promised improved support for external displays. Read more: WWDC 2022: iPadOS 16 brings improved multitasking, weather app, external display support to iPad Ultimately, all this talk about hardware and connectivity will mean very little if the key apps and software that you use for work aren’t available for the iPad. Thankfully, the basics are all covered for office work, with mobile versions of Word, Excel and Outlook available with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
If you don’t fancy paying a subscription fee, then Apple’s own iWork suite — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — provides free alternatives. Admittedly, there are many high-end graphics and engineering tools, such as the AutoDesk range, which are still primarily focused on the Mac and Windows operating systems, but these generally require more powerful workstation-class Macs and PCs, and the iPad isn’t quite ready to compete in that arena just yet (iOS and Android apps are available from Autodesk though). The software situation can only get better, now that Macs and iPads are using the same Apple Silicon processors, which makes it far easier for developers to create apps that run on both platforms. Bundled apps like Photos and Files will now include a more Mac-like document menu that provides easy access to commands like duplicate, rename and print.
And, crucially, Freefrom will also allow you to collaborate with colleagues simply by sharing a link that provides access to your documents. And, for creative users, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be able to support HDR and SDR, and act as a reference display for additional colour standards.
So while the iPad Pro isn’t quite ready to replace my iMac just yet, it’ll certainly work as an alternative to my MacBook Air when I’m travelling. And if Apple’s roadmap for iPadOS and its second-generation M2 chips goes according to plan, then a desktop-class iPad Pro could be a tantalising possibility before too long.
Why the iPad still can’t replace my laptop
The idea sounds so appealing: Instead of using a clunky laptop, just carry around Apple’s lightweight tablet with a snap-on keyboard and trackpad. The iPad might be where I go to focus on a single task or enjoy a change in computing scenery, but traditional PCs are where my serious work happens. With the new 10th-generation iPad and its Surface-like Magic Keyboard Folio, Apple continues to push the laptop replacement concept.
If you’re used to working on a laptop, the 10- or 11-inch screens on most iPads will feel cramped while juggling lots of browser tabs or running two apps in split-screen mode.
Yes, you can connect OneDrive or other sources to Apple’s Files app, but you can’t automatically download folders for offline viewing, and sync operations have been extremely finicky in my experience. Although Apple added extension support to Safari in iOS 15, the ecosystem still doesn’t compare to that of a real desktop browser.
Later this year, Apple plans to add proper external display support for the iPad, giving you an interface that fills the entire monitor. While you can still plug in other iPads to external monitors, those without USB-C output will be unbearably laggy, and you’ll end up with a cramped 4:3 aspect ratio. To me, that means the iPad still works best primarily as a tablet with occasional laptop benefits, rather than a device that serves both needs equally. For reading books, watching videos, or playing touchscreen games, the iPad’s instant-on, lightweight nature is still unparalleled.
5 Tips for Using an iPad As a Desktop or Laptop Replacement
Apple’s latest souped-up iPads, along with accessories like the Magic Keyboard and software enhancements in iPadOS, have turned the company’s tablets into bona-fide desktop and laptop replacements. Lack of mouse support was long the main hurdle preventing the iPad from operating as a PC replacement.
Check out Opener, an app that lets you take advantage of the iOS share sheet (indicated by the box with an arrow sticking out of it).
TextExpander can save you time typing repeated email responses, names, addresses, or forms by creating shortcuts corresponding to their longer stored sentences and paragraphs.
Google Docs, the minimalist iA Writer, and the organization-friendly Scrivener all offer different takes when it comes to writing, drafting, and organizing text. Whereas window management is a snap on a PC, on an iPad, you’ll be dragging apps, holding them in place, and swiping them to certain parts of the screen to keep your multitasking habits alive.
If you’re using your iPad as your primary machine these days, you’re probably suffering from some pretty poor posture—you’re more hunched over with your neck tilted downward, perhaps. Working that way for a few days might be well and good, but for longer periods of time, you’re just asking for a strained neck, uncomfortable back, and generally unpleasant feeling.
Not only will a stand help correct your bad posture, but with the right model—either one attached to an articulated arm or with a swiveling head—you can use your iPad in either portrait or landscape mode, and pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (or trackpad) to gain even more control.
A USB-C hub, which allows you not only to connect devices like flash drives or digital cameras to your iPad, it also supercharges your tablet when paired with the right external accessories. Depending on the app you’re using, your iPad will either mirror your screen or offer you a secondary monitor to display images, keynote presentations and more unencumbered by your user interface or editing tools. But when watching video from, for example, your favorite streaming app, the iPad will take advantage of the entire monitor, providing you with a proper 16:9 aspect ratio and viewing experience.
What the Tech: What’s better, an iPad or laptop?
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Not long after Apple introduced the iPad, the company began talking about how the tablet could someday replace a laptop computer. Brydge makes Bluetooth keyboards for all iPads with backlit keys and the battery runs for days.
Anker makes a hub that plugs into the charging port and adds slots for standard USB, SD cards, and HDMI. With the touch screen and an Apple Pencil, graphic artists may prefer the iPad to a MacBook.
So, price-wise comparing a MacBook Air and an iPad Pro is pretty even, but if you’re considering replacing a bulky PC laptop, the iPad will be easier to carry and easier to use, but it’s going to cost a lot more than a basic PC laptop.
With iPadOS 17, the iPad becomes a true laptop replacement
Even with an excellent keyboard (and sometimes a mouse), tasks that revolve around typing or multi-tasking have generally gone to my MacBook Air. This is usually more an issue about the limitations of iPadOS or available apps than about processing power (the iPad Pro and Air now sport the same M1 and M2 processors as today’s Macs) or form factor. As did a good many Apple customers, I downloaded and installed the developer betas of both iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma when they became available in June.
I started using iPadOS 17 first, mostly because it downloaded faster (and I wanted to install Sonoma onto a clean drive partition).
Apple launched the multitasking feature on both iPadOS and macOS last year but it was pretty much a mess — particularly on the iPad. Stage Manager now delivers much more freedom and flexibility when working with multiple apps in a single workspace.
These limitations are fairly minor annoyances, since you’re generally able to resize and reposition windows as you want; they simply snap to a grid close to where you put them. This makes the entire multitasking experience something that’s truly useful compared to the somewhat gimmicky split screen and slide over options of the past.
It feels and behaves like a full-blown desktop, and working with multiple apps at once is finally a real capability for the iPad. Since iPads have smaller screens than most Macs or PCs, the usability of multiple apps decreases as you open more of them (for me, anything beyond four becomes too cluttered to use effectively, though your preferences may vary). that require you to scroll or don’t position controls such as buttons or text boxes properly in windows; Amazon is an example of the former and Facebook can be one of the latter. While iPadOS 17 doesn’t change the dot-style cursor or make it behave more like the pointer on a Mac or PC, I (and several people I’ve spoken with) noticed that mouse tracking feels more accurate to the movement of your hand.
Universal Control is a Continuity feature designed to make shifting between a Mac and an iPad frictionless by letting the same keyboard and mouse work with multiple devices. The shifting of mouse performance when switching is a point of friction in that system, making things not quite so universal. Notes gains useful features across all Apple platforms this year, but they feel most significant on the iPad.
The effect is similar to laying out a personal website of data that links together ideas, information, media, checklists, contacts and anything else.
This may not seem like a major change, but if you use Notes extensively and add features like checklists, bulleted lists, formatting and media, you can now leverage all of that when you need to produce a document. You don’t need an external app to view, edit, highlight, cross off, or markup PDFs. AirDrop is having a big year across Apple devices as well; it’s the basis for NameDrop and new gestures for sharing content. It gets speed improvements, a bit more streamlined interface and the ability to finish transfers using the internet (so two users or devices don’t need to be in close proximity to one another). While there isn’t a lot new for keyboards (beyond Shift-click/tap with Stage Manager), they’re a crucial part of making the iPad a true laptop replacement. There are a variety of options from Apple and third-party vendors, since any bluetooth or USB keyboard (with the appropriate dongle) will work with any iPad.
Today’s iPads are capable of doing pro-level work that until recently required a Mac or PC (sometimes a rather powerful one). Apple has always built a wall between a user’s personal apps, data, and accounts and work apps, data and accounts whenever a device is managed by the user’s employer, provided the employer uses some form of mobile management.
With iOS and iPadOS 17 (along with Sonoma), iCloud sync is now supported across any devices or Macs connected to their work Apple ID. It’s also important to note Apple will now support all Continuity features on all devices and Macs affiliated with a work Apple ID, including Handoff, Universal Control, and Continuity Camera (which allows a Mac to use another device’s camera for video chats). The iPad Pro and Air models that share the same processors with Apple Silicon Macs are spectacular examples of this potential. Apple seems to have finally gotten the message a lot of its customers have long known: the iPad is a serious tool that needed serious software to unlock its potential.
Should I Buy an iPad or a Laptop? The Benefits Discussed
In this article, we compare an iPad with a laptop and discuss its features, price points, portability, battery life, and more. We will also explore their pros and cons with regard to specific use cases so that readers can make an informed decision on which one is best suited to them.
iPads are also very versatile with accessories, allowing you to transform your handheld device into a laptop-type experience with a simple attachment or case. However, they offer more screen real estate, a physical keyboard, and a range of ports and connectivity options that may be important for certain tasks. Laptops tend to have more powerful hardware than iPads, which makes them better suited for demanding tasks like video editing, programming, or running multiple applications at once. There’s also more variety in hardware, allowing you to choose a laptop with a larger screen, faster processor, or better graphics depending on what you need.
On the other hand, both Windows and Apple laptops offer a much wider, practically unlimited app library. Both devices offer different levels of battery life, and it’s important to consider your needs and usage patterns when making a decision.
iPads are known for their long battery life, with many models offering 10 hours or more of use on a single charge. Whether you’re using your iPad for work, entertainment, or just browsing the web, you can expect it to last for a full day without needing to be charged. Laptops, on the other hand, tend to have shorter battery life than iPads, with most models offering around 5-7 hours of use on a single charge. This may be a concern for people who need to use a laptop for extended periods of time without access to a power source.
However, there are some laptops on the market that offer longer battery life, and it’s important to research the specific model you’re considering before making a decision. This makes iPads a great choice for users who prioritize security and want a device that is less vulnerable to attacks and malware. Windows-based laptops are more susceptible to viruses, malware, and cyber attacks, which can compromise personal data and sensitive information. However, modern laptops also offer security features like biometric authentication, hardware encryption, and VPN support to protect against these threats.
Laptops, on the other hand, tend to be more expensive, with prices starting at around $500 and going up to several thousand dollars for high-end models. It’s worth noting that Apple laptops tend to be more expensive than comparable Windows models, too.
Now that you’ve considered the battery life, security features, and price of both devices, it’s time to decide which one is best for you. You can do some simple video editing on an iPad, but if you want to work with big files and use professional software like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro, you’ll need a laptop.
Since they’re basically just a big touch screen, you can use an Apple Pencil to draw using advanced apps specifically designed for digital art.
Consider the features, battery life, security measures, and price point of both devices before making a decision.
Keep in mind that you may also have to invest in additional accessories such as keyboards or charging cables depending on which device you choose. We hope this article has helped you understand the differences between an iPad and a laptop so that you can make an informed decision when it comes time to choose.
7 Reasons to Buy an iPad Over a PC
The iPad Pro is a powerful tablet, and starting with iOS 10, Apple opened up the operating system and allowed third-party apps access to features like Siri. As the iPad continues to grow in processing power and versatility, are we ready to ditch the PC?
The architecture of iPadOS puts a wall around each app, which prevents one piece of software from overwriting a portion of another. On a PC, malware can do things like record all of the keys you press and let someone remotely control your computer.
Apple, however, maintains full control over the App Store, which is the only way to add software to the tablet (unless you’ve chosen to jailbreak your device). With the company checking every piece of software people submit for the iPad, it’s much more difficult for malware to find its way onto the App Store, and when it does, it doesn’t stay there long.
You can get better hardware in an iPad Pro than you’ll find in an entry-level laptop, and comparable builds to standard-issue ones. The iPad and a PC are similar in terms of the prices you’ll see at the store, but you’re probably going to pay more for something powerful enough to do more than browse the web and with a life expectancy of more than a year or two. It can browse the web, but if you want to play games, type a term paper, or balance your budget with a spreadsheet, you will probably need to buy some software. Microsoft now offers Office for iOS, which combines Word, Excel, and Powerpoint into one app.
One expense many people find on the Windows side is virus protection, which can also add to the cost. However, if you want to go with added protection with another bit of software from Norton or McAfee, you’ll have to pay extra to pick it up.
Along with the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, the newest iPads have good cameras built into them. The bigger Pro and the iPad Air 2 both have an 8 MP back-facing camera, which can still take pretty good pictures. You can get some of the same versatility with a Windows-based tablet, but when compared to a laptop or desktop PC, the iPad certainly has an advantage. While it has a chance to become slower or experience strange bugs over time, you can generally clear these up by simply rebooting the iPad.
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